defour



Feb. 14, 1928. 1,659,481

1 A. DEFOUR PROCESS AND INSTALLATION FOR THE ELECTROMECHANICAL UTILIZATION OF TIDES Filed Sept. 23, 1921 I 4 Sheets-Sheet l vwentoa attozneq Feb; 14, 1928.

A.IDEFCNJR PRUGESS AND INSTALLATION FOR THE ELECTROMECHANICAL UTILIZATION-OF TIDES Filed Sept. 23, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 28 fig .2

I I E am. I mumi 2 Lu I N I I I I I'I I I I I Q I I I I I I I? I I I III I l O w Feb. 14, 1928. 1,659,481

A. DEF-OUR PROCESS AND INSTALLATION FOR THE ELECTROMECHANICAL UTILIZATION OF TIDES Filed Sept. 23, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 MWN A. DEFOUR Feb. 14, 1928,

L A C I N A H C E M 0 R T C E LS m ET. HT F R0 0 FN 0 NI m Z T. L MT. T T U N I D N A S S E C O R P Filed Sept. 25, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v rm Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRE DEFOUR, or NEUILLY-seR-sEINE, SEINE, FRANCE.

PROCESS AND INSTALLATION- FOR THE ELECTROMECHANICAL UTILIZATION OF TIDES.

Application filed September 23, 1921, Serial No. 502,773,. and in France September 25, 1920.

This invention relates to a method and mechanism for the electro-mechanical utilization of tides, and contemplates a system of reservoirs in connection and cooperating with suitably related instrumentalities which contribute to the practicability and cliicctiveness ot the invention.

By the method of the present invention the power obtained is substantially constant during the entire duration of any one tide,

or during the two tide stages oi flow and ebb.

It has been proposed. to use two basins or reservoirs alternately emptying into and filling from the sea; the energ' generating flow between the sea and one reservoir be ing utilized between the rise and fall of the tide, con'nnunication being cut oil from the power generators at or about the times of high and low tide and during which. period tree flow into or out of the said reservoir permitted; a second reservoir in which the rise and fall of the water takes place through a smaller range and which is utilized for energy generating purposes during pc'iods including high and low water, no free flow in or out of said second reservoir being eti'ected. When operating in accord.-

ance with the present invention, the second reservoir is in direct communication with the sea and is filled and emptied after each working phase, whereby the cycle of opera tions is more readily and easily controlled Generally stated, the cycle of operations to which the improved proc of this invention relates consists in causing water to pass through suitable turbines in filling and emptying two unequal reservoirs in four phases for each tide, tiow and ebb, the iilst phase beginning at a nedetermined moment after low tide and after the tide has risen to a predetermined level above the floor oi the first reservoir, and comprising filling of the said first reservoir up to a given height by water flowing from the sea and through the turbines; the second. phase comprising filling of the second reservoir from a given initial height above the level the floor oi? the first reservoir, :which height is the minimum of the water at any time in the second reservoir, up to a predetermined maximum height, by water flowing through the turbines. During the beginning of the said second phase the first reservoir is filled completely through free. flow from the sea. The third phase comprises emptying oi the first reservoir to a low level, the water flowing through the turbines from the first reservoir into the sea. During the beginning of this third phase the second reservoir is filled by a tree flow from the sea; and the fourth phase con'iprising ci'nptying ot the second reservoir, the ater tiowing from the reservoir through the turbines and to the sea to a given low level, and at. the beginning of this lourth phase the lirst reservoir is emptied completely through a tree flow into the sea, the first phase then again beginning with the filling of the first reservoir, at which time the second reservoir empties to the original water level. therein through free flow into the sea. i

It will be understood that such periods of operation, capacity and electro-mechanical elements and other instrumentalities must be adopted to suit the general conditions and particular characteristics of the tides to render the method and electro-mechanical features of the invention ettective.

The plant comprises, from front to rear, a dyke pierced by siphon-like passages, which give access to a first compensating well, a second compensating well separated from the first by asecond dyke, a building constituting the power station proper and containing the turbines and alternators, a basin forming a gallery for the. discharge of the water isolated from the two reservoirs by a third dyke, the bottom of the second com pensating well being partitioned in such manner as to constitute an underground channel eon'nuunieating with the suction siphons of the turbines and enabling the latter to be run in series, valved communicating pasages being provh'led between the first and second compensating wells and the underground conduit of the second. compensating well and serving to establish communication of the second con'ipensating well with the turbines and the gallery with the latter, the suction siphons ot' the turbines and the reservoirs and passages situated on both sides of the plant serving to place the two reservoirs directly in communication with the sea, the reservoirs being arranged in the rear and to the right and left of the plant.

The invention also contemplates a variation in the gallery plant and wherein the two compensating wells are connz ad to form one well enclosing a brealnvater, series operation of the turbines being eliminated in this case and aportion only of the turbines running under high head and actuating at a reduced velocity, the alternators with the assistance of change speed mechanism.

The preferred. form of. means for 1na'in-" taining the height of fall between the upstream and downstream levels constant is adjustable or regulatable in accordance with the requirements of the cycle, this means or regulating device forming a very advantageous component of the plantand will be hereinafterdescribed to illustrate one means or device for accomplishing this purpose.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view, showing a gallerytype plant embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 7 2-2, Fig. 1, showing the relation of the dykes and sluices to the turbine in the power plant proper; 7

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the plant shown by Figs. 1 and '2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the plant on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a similar enlarged longitudinal section on the line 55, Fig. 2

F ig. 6 is a plan view of the alternator on an enlarged scale showing the relation thereof to one of the turbines and the differential nism;

Fig. 7 diagrammatically illustrates in section and elevation one form of automatic adjusting means by which the height of fall or head of water may be adjusted and autogears of a change speed niechainatically maintained constant;

type is designated by 25, having an outer dyke 29 which, together with sea walls 26 separate the sea from the basin lying back of the power plant. The basin is preferably separated into a smaller reservoir P and larger reservoir Rby a wall 27 or other suitable means, and the power plant proper comprises a housing 28 extending longitudinally of the plant in which the turbines,v

are dykes 30 and 31 separating the respec-' tive reservoirs from the gallery or corridor 40, which spaces the power plant from the dykes 30 and 31.. In the space between the housing 28 and the dyke 29 is preferably a dyke .32, which divides the space into compensating wells 33 and 34. The well 34 is likewise divided by a horizontal partition 35 into upper and lowercompartments, the purpose of which will later appear.

The front dyke 29 is provided witha siphon shaped channel 36 affording communication between the sea and the well 33, the

upper portion of the channel being concaved at 37 so as to direct the water coming from the sea in a jet toward the bottom of the compensating well 33. This arrangement, together with the dyke 32, serves to break up any water hammers or eddies which may occur in the water as it flows in from the sea. The dyke 32 is pierced by twosets of passageways 38 and 39, the passageways 38 forming communication between the wells 33 and 34. The purpose of the passageway 39 will later appear; Between the power plant and the dyke 30 is a gallery or corridor 40 adapted to receive the water either from the reservoirs. or turbines according to the phase of the cycle of the rise and fall of the tide and the resulting direction of flow of the water. Passageways 41 and 42 lead respectively from the well 34 and the corridor 40 to the turbine 43 located within the power plant housing 28.

Leading from the turbine is a. suction siphon passage 44 which has branches 45 and 46 at its lower end, one leading forwardly and the other rearwardly and connecting respectively with an underground conduit 47 formed by the partition 35 and with the corridor 40. The underground conduit 47' is connected with the well 33 by the passageway 39 and the corridor 4O communicates with the reservoirs by means of sluices 48. The various passageways 38, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46 and the sluice 48 are controlled respectively by sluice gates 49, 52, 50, 51, 53. 54 and 55, preferably operable and controlled from the power plant proper by suitable mechanism. In front of the passageway 36 are gratings 56, to obstruct and prevent materials likely to injure the turbine from entering the well 33, and for a similar purpose gratings 57 are placed over the passageway 42. Similarly the pedestals of masonry 58 and 59 are provided both on the seaside of the passages 36 and on the reser voir side of the sluices 48, the purpose of which is to arrest any heavy bodies from leads from the well 33 to the bottom of the space 61 in front of the dyke 29 from whence it is raised by a chain bucket arrangement 62 to the top of the dyke, where it is deposited in suitable transporting devices.-

.Fig. 2 the dotted lines 0 indicate the level of the lowest low tides of the locality. The line S indicates the level of the head of spring tides. The line Q indicates that of the highest tides of the locality.

In operation, when the tide is rising and has reached a predetermined height, the reservoir P being empty, there will be suflicient operating head level between the tide and said reservoir, and upon the opening of the gates 49, 50, 54 and the gates 55 leading to the said reservoir P, water will flow through the turbines, causing the same to rotate, from thence the water will flow through the passageway 44 and the corridor 40 to the reservoir P, the gates 51 and 53 being closed. The flow through the turbines to the reservoir P will continue until the tide has risen to its maximum height; in the meantime the gates 55 of the sluices 48 leading to the reservoir R being closed. The tide at this point is much higher than the level of the water in the reservoir R and also higher than the level in the reservoir P. At this point the sluice gates 55 leading from the corridor to the reservoir P are closed and those connecting it directly with the sea are opened; at the same time the sluice gates controlling the flow of water between the corridor and the reservoir R are opened. and water will therefore freely flow into both the reservoirs P and R (to P from the sea and to R from the corridor), completing the filling of the reservoir P in the first part of the second phase to a level slightly lower than the maximum height of the tide.

During this second phase the larger reservoir R fills from its initial level to a predetermined height above its initial level. At the end of this phase the sluice gates 55 leading to the reservoir R are closed and the sluice gates 63 connecting the said reservoir R directly with the .sea are opened. At this point the tide level will be greater than the level in the larger reservoir, and, as a consequence, water will flow through the sluice gates 63 into the large reservoir R completely filling the same in the third phase. At the beginning of this third phase the sluice gates 55 connecting the reservoir P with the corridor 40 are again opened and. the level in the reservoir P will. be higher than the level of the tide, and, when the sluice valves from the reservoir P are opened, water will flow from the reservoir P and pass through and operate the turbine in a reverse direction from that described above in connection with the first phase of the cycle, the power being taken oit by suitable compensators. The flow from the reservoir P will continue through the turbine throughout the third phase of operation, when the sluice gate 55 connecting the reservoir P with the corridor 40 are again closed and the sluice valve 63 connecting the said reservoir with the tfGZL is opened, in order to completely empty the reservoir P. At the beginning of the fourth phase the level of water in the larger reservoir R will be higher than that of the tide. The sluice gates 55 controlling the passages .irom the reservoir R are opened to the corridor 40 at the beginning of this phase and water flows from the reservoir R through the turbines, and at the beginning or this phase the reservoir P completely empties itself through the sluice *alves 68 leading directly to the sea. At the end of the fourth phase the cycle of operations as set forth above will be repeated, the sluice valves 68 connecting the reservoir R with the sea being opened to permit said reservoir to quickly ei'npty itself to its original level during the first phase of the succeeding cycle, the gates 55 leading to reservoir P being opened.

As will be noted from Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the turbines are preferably arranged in groups of four, and while the first group is supplied through the passages 38, the water may be caused to flow through successive groups by a suitable arrangementoi? thefioor or partitions 35, which as shown in Fig. 5 slant upwardly from the linden ground conduits 47, the passuge. between the underground conduits and the adjacent compensation chambers 34 being controlled by gates (34. It will be readily seen that by this arrangement as many of the turbines may be thrown into operation as is desired, inasmuch as when the turbines are grouped in this manner each successive group can be caused to be traversed in series by the water. the groups being capable of being separated by the gates 64. and the water directed to the gallery 40 through the passageways 4t).

1 case may be.

sage 46 of the final group to the corridor and thence to the reservoir P or R as the The water coming from the reservoirs will pass through the conduit 42 of the first group, the gates and 54 being I flexibility of the turbines cooperating therewith is sufficient to con'ipensate for all variatio in head produced between low and high tides, this result being attained without the use ofchange speed mechanisn'i and simply by driving the groups by suitable gearing well understood in the art of hydraulics. The functions of the'reservoir R however differ in regard to adaptation and flexibility with respect to varying heads, the head varying from a minimum low tide head to a maximum high tide head, would greatly exceed the flexibility of the turbines, and it is therefore necessary to guide the head. All the turbines required to work under a head exceeding the head intermediate the minimum low tide head and the maximum high tide head are constructed so as to be capable of rotating at two different speeds, that is to say, they will rotate at a higher speed in the ease of greater heads than in the case of smaller heads, and only half of the turbines will be used with a double head, the other half of the turbines remaining idle. The turbines installed for maximum heads are ennui-acted to a change speed organization which permits driving the alternator-s at half speed, in view of the fact that the said turbines rotate at double speed while the alteri'uitor must always rotate at a predetermined constant speed. As an example, if the organization shown by Fig. 6 is to be used, the alternator 67 being situated in the center of a group of fourturbines, the nearest 43" of which is solely represented, the two low head turbines situated on one side of the alternator are uncoupled from. the general transmission shaft and the other turbines, and those with the high heads are connected to the alternator 67 by a change speed mechanism. This change speed mechanism comprises two groups of wheels 69, 70, and 71 and 7 2, the wheels 70 and 7 2 being mounted on the main shaft and the wheels 69 and 71 on the secondary shaft parallel to the main shaft. The mainand secondary shafts are interrupted at the location of the electro-magnetic or other couplings'73 and 74, which enable the portions of the shafts upon which they are mounted to be connected or rendered independent one of the other. The two couplings 73 and 74 will be coordinated in such manner that if one is operatively connected the other is disconnected, and if the coupling 73 is operatively connected tothe remaining mechanism motion is transmittedby the gearing 70, 69, 72 and 71, and the alternator is operated at half speed in view of the predetermined proportionsand dimensions of the said gearing. hen the coupling 74 is disconnected from the remaining mechanism, motion is trai'ismitted directly from the turbines the alternator.

A preferred form of means for automati cally opening the gates to insure a regulation of the head with relation'to the reservoirs or flow to "ards the sea according to requirements is illustrated by Fig. head is designated the reference character X, and as shown a float 75 bears normallyon the upstream level and is slightly raised by a counterweight 76 through the medium of a cable 77 passing over pulleys 78, 79, 80 and 81. Another float 82 bears normally upon the downstream level and is slightly raised by a counterweight 83 by means of a cable 83 passing over pulleys 84, 85, 86 and 87. The pulleys 81 and 87 are mounted, respectively, on two alined shafts 88 and 89, one of the said shafts carrying a screw engaging in a nut 91 on the other shaft. If both shafts 88 and 89 turn at the same rate of speed, no modification in action. takes place, and during the whole peri- 7. The

ed that the two levels of the head remain as eration of the screw 90 in the nut 91 will.

move the said nut towards the right or left in accordance with the direction of rotation of the said screw, in view of the fact that the shaft which carries the nut (in the present instance the shaft 89) is mounted to move longitudinally in its bearings, and this movement of the shaft 89 is transmitted by lever 92 t0 the coupling 93 mounted on the shaft 110. This coupling 93 consists of two friction disks 94 and 95 driving an intermediate roller 96, which actuates the pulley 97 through shaft 102, which carries the said roller and pulley. The two disks 94 and 95 are driven continuously by the motor 98 suitably geared to the shaft 110. As the lever92 brings either one of the disks 94 or 95 into engagement with the intermediate roller 96, the pulley 97 is rotated in either one of two directions, and a cable 99, which passes oversaid pulley and is attached to the gate 100 and also to a. counterweight 101, correspondingly operates the said gate and the head is modified. The pulleys 7 9 and 85 are in cooperative mounting with relation to two worms 103 and 104, which are operable to regulate the head by shortening or lengthening the cables of the two floats 75 and 82. The adjustment of these two worms 103 and 104: will be effected from a suitable instrument or switch board of the plant, where the foreman or operator will note by means of water level indicators the changes of level in the reservoirs and tide and make such adjustments or changes in the mechanism controllable from the switch board as may be necessary in accordance with the predetermined operations and limits fixed in regard to the cycle and relative to the filling of the reservoirs. The automaticregulation of the opening and closing movements of the gates as hereinbefore explained may be modified in accordance with the desires of the hydraulic engineer in the primal installation of the several turbine and other organizations.

The principle of the present invention is based upon the production of a uniform power, which is as high as possible relatively to the height of the tide at the main power station, and the auxiliary or other power stations cooperating with the main power station absorb the excess of the load factor of the consumers taking power from the main gallery or dam power station. The resistance of the load of the main power station is equal to the motive power and it is inadvisable to add a speed regulator unless it be for the purpose of obtaining the desired voltage, as such regulator would only exert a slight action, in view of the fact that the load factor should always remain at a constant maximum. Modifications in the cycle of the tide of a day may be readily compensated for so to maintain uniforn'iity of operation of the power producing mechanism. irrespective of the llI. and fall of the tide, through the medium of the system of regulation specified. 'lhrongfli the automatic operation of the gates in accordance with the head, or to maintain a constant desirable head. irrespective of the tide conditions or variations at different periods or in different localities, the present invention is rendered adaptable to practically operate with a full attainment of the results sought. a

Fig. 8 shows a modified form of the invention in which the two wells 33 and 34 shown in Fig. 2 and the partition 35 are eliminated and a single well 33", is used and has a beam extending longitudinally of the well, said beam being supported by buttresses 66". Fig. 9 illustrates the application of the change speed mechanism 68 together with the alternator 67, this change speed mechanism preferably having electromagnetic couplings 73 together with a train of gears 69, 70 71 and 72. In the type of the plant shown by Fig. 9 a gallery is also provided, as shown in Fig. 2, this gal.- lcry serving as a passage for the water coming from any turbine and going to either one of the two reservoirs. The change speed mechanism shown applied in Fig. 8 and constructed and arranged as described permits the speed to be changed without stopping the turbines.

WVhat is claimed as new is:

1. A plant for the electro-mechanical utilization of tides, comprising a dike and a power station spaced apart, a second dike separating the space between said first named dike and said power station into first-and second compensating wells, a pair of reservoirs on the opposite side of said power station from said wells and separated from said power station by a gallery, a dyke between said gallery and reservoirs, said first named dyke having passages forming communication between the compensating wells and the sea, said last named dykehaving passages forming communication between the gallery and the reservoirs, turbines in said power stations and passageways leading from said compensation wells and gallery to said turbines, suction siphon passageways leading from said turbines and communicating with the gallery, the floor of said second compensation well having a passageway therebeneath forming communication between said suction siphon and said first compensation well, sluice valves in said passageways and means for regulating said valves to control the flow of water through said turbines upon the ebb and flow of the tides.

2. A method of utilizing the energy of the rise and fall of the tides, consisting in allowing water to pass through a turbine in filling and emptying two reservoirs of uneqmil size, the filling and emptying of said reservoirs taking place in four phases, consisting in first filling the smaller reservoir to a predetermined height, then concurrently filling the two reservoirs, the smaller completely and the larger to a. certain height, then concurrently completing the filling of the larger reservoir and emptying the smaller reservoir to a given level, completely emptying the smaller reservoir while emptying the larger reservoir to a given level, and again filling the smaller reservoir to a given level while completely emptying the larger reservoir, the flow of the water through said turbines being regulated by suitable valve controlled passageways.

A method of utilizing the energy of the riseand fall of the tides, consisting in allowing water to pass through a turbine in filling and emptying two reservoirs of unequal size, the filling and emptying of said reservoirs taking place in four phases, consisting 1n first filling the smaller IBEEIVOH 7 reservoir, the flow of the water through said turbines being regulated by suitable valvecontrolled passageways, the total duration of the first two phases being equal to the last two. I i

4. A method of utilizing the energy of the. rise and lallof. the tides, consisting in allowing water to pass through a turbine in filling and emptying two reservoirs otunequal size,'the filling and emptying of said reservoirs taking place in four phases, consisting in first filling the smaller reservoir to a predetermined height, then concurrently filling the two reservoirs, the smaller completely and the larger to a certain height, then concurrently completing the filling of the larger reservoir and emptying the smaller reservoir to a given level, completely emptying the smaller reservoir while empty 1ng the larger reservoir to a given level, and

again fillingthe smaller reservoir to a given level while completely emptying the larger reservoir, the flow of the water throughsaid turbines being regulated by suitable valvecontrolled' passageways, the duration ofjthe phases being alternatively equal.

'5. A method of deriving power from the ebb and flow of tides consisting in passing the t dal flow through turbines into a larger and a smaller reservoir, -ma1nta1nmg the wvater in the larger reservoir at a predetermined height above the level of the floor in the smaller reservoir, filling the smaller reservoir to a predetermined height above the level of the water in the larger reservoir,

then directing the water flowing through the turbines into the larger reservoir and filling the smaller reservoir completely by water flowing directly thereintofrom the sea, then permitting the'water in the smaller reservoir to flow theretron'i through the turbines into the sea until the level of water in said reservoirhas fallen to a predetermined distance below the level in the larger reservoir and permitting the water to flow from the larger reservoirthrough the turbines into the sea until a predetermined level of Water in the burger reservoir is reached and the tide has again risen to a predetermined height.

-ANDRE DEFOUR. 

